Adapter-stylus for phonographs.



E. S. OLIVER.

ADAPTER STYLUS FOR PHONOIGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL}; 1915.

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E. S. OLIVER. ADAPTER STYLUS FOR PHONOGRAPHS. APPLICATION mm MAR. a. 1915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR E llls 5. U11vgr ATTORN EYS tion.

ELLIS S. OLIVER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ADAPTER-STYLUS EOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

Application filed March 3, 1915. Serial No. 11,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIS S. OLrvEk, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Adapter-Styli for Phonographs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to. which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specifica- The present invention relates, generally, to improvements in phonograph apparatus;

and the invention has reference more par-- ticularly to an adapter stylus which will operate to transmit the vertical vibrations produced by the vertical indentatlons of a sound-record disk to produce horizontal vibrations of a diaphragm of a reproducing sound-box set in a vertical plane.

It is well known in the art that there are two types of sound-record impressions for phonograph disks, viz., the lull and dale impressions which COHSISt'Of a serles of vertical indentations or impressions formed 1n the face of the 'disk, which, when traveling against a sound-box stylus or needle, produce vibrations of the stylus in a vertlcal plane, or in the plane of the vertical axis of the stylus or needle; and the horizontal or lateral impressions which consists of a series of lateral or horizontal indentations or'impressions formed in the face of the disk, which, when traveling against a sound-box stylus or needle, produce vibrations of the stylus in a direction parallel to the surface of the sound-recorddisk. Usually in a phoncgraph instrument arranged to play the former type of sound-record dlsk, the soundbox is positioned so that the diaphragm thereof lies in a horizontal plane and substantially parallel to the disk surface, and

- the vertical vibrations imparted -to the stylus are transmitted directly to the diaphragm; and in a phonograph lnstrument arranged to play the latter type of soundrecord disk, the sound-box is positioned so that the diaphragm thereof hes in a vertical plane and substantially at' right angles to the disk surface, and the horizontal vibrations imparted to the stylus are transmitted indirectly through a pivoted vibrator-arm,

to which the stylus is secured, to the diaphragm. Consequently the sound-box positioned and equipped for playing said latter type of sound-record disk cannot play or respond to the sound-record impressions of the former type of sound-record disk, since the vertical vibrations caused by such soundrecord impressions cannot be transmitted through the ordinary stylus or needle and the pivoted vibrator-arm.

It is the principal object of my present invention, therefore, to provide an interchangeable or detachable adapter stylus adapted to be connected with the ordinary needle-socket of the vibrator-arm of a vertical sound-box, in place of the usual type of needle adapted to play horizontal soundrecord impressions, so that,- without other change, the vertical vibrations of the vertical or hill and dale sound-record impressions may be transmitted through such adapter stylus'to the pivoted vibrator arm and vertical diaphragm of the vertical marily, in the novel and simple construction of a detachable or interchangeable adapter stylus for phonograph sound-boxes, hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the several novel arrangements and combinations of the various parts thereof, as well as in the details of the con- "struction thereof, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part. of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a face view of a vertical soundbox, the vibrator-arm of which isequipped with the novel construction of adapter stylus made according to and embodying the principles of the present invention, in this view the said adapter stylus being shown in contact with the vertical sound-record impresslons of a hlll and dale sound-record disk, the latter being shown in section. Fig.

2 is an edge side view of said vertical soundbox so equipped. Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal vertical section of an adapter stylus made according to and embodying the principles of the present invention, the same being drawn on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified. construction of said novel adapter stylus. Fig. 5 is a similar view of another modified constructionof said novel adapter stylus. Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, longitudinal sections of still further modified constructions of the novel adapter stylus.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereina-bove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the referencecharacter 1 indicates a sound-box for playing sound-record disks, said soundbox being so connected with the tone-arm 2 of a phonograph apparatus as to be posi tioned vertically to dispose the-diaphragm 3 thereof in a vertical plane at right angles to the horizontal plane of the sound-record; dlSk adapted to be revolved beneath said sound-box.

Connected with the lower side 4; of sai'd sound-box are the fulcrum-projections or points 5 upon which is fulcrumed the pivotframe6 of an upwardly extending vibratorarm 7, the upper. end of which is connected With-the diaphragm 3 in the usual manner. Connected with and extending downwardly from said pivot-frame G is the needle orstylus socket 8, which receives and securely c0n-' nects in operative relation to said vibratorarm a needle or stylus adapted to contact operatively with the sound-record impressions of a sound-record disk. Said needle or stylus socket 8 is provided with the usual set screw or, lock-screw 9'for securing the needle or stylus in the socket 8.

When reproducing from a sound-record disk in which the sound-record impressions are of the horizontal or lateral form, a straight vertically extending needle or stylus is secured in the socket 8, the same beingin vertical alinement with the fulcrumpro ections or points 5, so that the lateral or horizontal vibrations imparted to the needle 7 or stylus point cause a rocking of the pivotframe 6 which transmits simllar' horizontal or lateral vibrations to the vibrator-arm 7 ,Which in turn vibrates the diaphragm 3 to reproduce. the recorded sounds from the sound-record impressionsu It will be apparent that, with the type of sound-box, constructed as above-described, equipped with a straight needle or stylus as above mentioned, a sound 'record formed with vertical or hill and dale soundrecord impressions could not be played or its'sound-record reproduced,'since-'such vertical or hill and dale sound-record impresslons would cause a vertlcal vlbration of the needle or stylus point, that is a vibration parallel to the axis of the needle or stylus straight needle or stylus so that through such means either the vertical or hill and dale sound record impressions may be utilized to-operate the diaphragm 3 to play 'or reproduce the sound-record. My present in- I vention provides such an adapter stylus which is of novel, and simple construction, and which may be interchangeably used in place of said straight needle or stylus in connection with the socket 8 of the vibratorarm 7 of the same type of sound-box.

My novel adapter stylus comprises a hori I zontally extending main-"body 10, of any desirable cross-sectional shape. Connected rigidly with and extending upwardly from one end of said main-body 10, and at right angles to the axis thereof, is a butt-piece or shank 11 of a proper diameter to be received or inserted in the socket 8 of the vibrator-arm 7, by which means the adapter stylus is operatively secured to the vibratorarm 7 in substantially the same manner as an ordinary straight needle or stylus.

Formed inthe outer or free end ofsaid main-body 10 is a longitudinally extending tubular opening 12. The reference character 13 indicates a stylus-head, the samehaving ashoulder 14 at one side from which extends a horizontal shank-piece 15. The

said shank-piece 15 is smaller in diameter than the diameter of said tubular opening 12 into,which said shank-piece 15 is inserted.-

Said tubular opening 12 is filled with a plastic-or cementitious material 16 which I Wlll harden," but which when hardened possesses acertain limited degree of resiliency, and I have found in practice that shellac, collodion and asphaltum, are substances which provide the qualities I seek for this purpose, and no doubt there are many other similar substances which can be used for the purpose. 'Into-this plastic orcementitious material the shankrpiece 15 is pressed,

so that it is surrounded thereby, and is thus securely afiixed to said main-body 10, but is at the same time.capable,-by reason of such a manner of connection,v of a limited resiliency relativelv'to said main-body 10 which resultsin a softening or sweetening of the .tones produced by the sound-box diaphragm when vibrated by my novel adapter. stylus.

In other words the harshness, clang, and

less, to phonographic reproduction, is practically ehmmated; Said stylus-head 13 is metallic sounds usually incident, more or oscillation of said stylus-point19 is'pro-' duced, which effects a vertical vibration or provided with a verticaly extending opening. or socket 13 extending therethrouglr, Intothis opening is inserted the upwardly ex tending tail-piece 17 of .a stylus-point setting 18, which extends and is positioned in a plane below the under side of said mainbody 10. The stylus-point 19 is fixed in said setting 18, and may be made of any suitable material, preferably of diamondi or emerald.

The operation of my novel adapter stylus is as follows :The butt-piece 11 is inserted in the socket 8 of the vibrator-armand locked rigidly thereto by, means of the set-screw or lock-screw 9. When thus secured the main-body 10 extends horizontally beneath said sound-box and at right angles to the fulcrum-projections or points 5 thereof. As thus positioned the stylus- -point 19 carried at the free end of said main-body 10 is offset or positioned to one side of the pivot or fulcrumaxis of the vibrator-arm 7. Now when a sound-record disk 20 provided with vertical or hill and dale sound-record impressions 21 is revolved beneath said stylus-point 19 and in contact. therewith, a vertical vibration or oscillation of the outer end 'of said mainbody 10, but since the stylus-point 19 is ofi'- set from the fulcrum-projections or points 5 of the sound-box this vertical vibration or oscillation when transmitted through said off-set'horizontal main-body is translated into a horizontal vibration or oscillation of the socket -8, pivot-frame 6 and vibrator-- it isefiected, as a result of the off-set construction of the adapter stylus, by a bellcranklever v oscillation.

Referringnow to' Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slight modification of the construction of my novel adapter stylus. In'this construction I provide a means for pivotally associating the butt-piece .or shank 11 to the main-body 10, so that if the vibrator-arm '7 does not happen to be positioned perpendicularly to the sound-record disk, by

reason of any shifted position, of the soundbox, the main-body 10 may be adjusted so that. the stylus-point 19 may be properly presented perpendicularly to or vertically to the sound-record disk, which position is essential. to its proper tracking and operation in connection with the impressions of the sound-record disk. 1o this end a butt-block washer 25 is interposed betweenthehead 26 of said clamp-screw 24 and said butt-block 22. The butt-piece or shankll extends upwardly from said butt-block 22. Saidbutt- .piece or shank 11 maybe adjusted or acscribed may be secured by means of the.

modified construction illustrated in- .Fig. 5 of the drawings." In this construction the butt-piece or shank 11 is affixed to the mainbody 10, and to the outer end of said mainbody 10 i's connected an adjustable stylusblock 27, the'same having a horizontal open- .ing 28 and being pivoted upon a clampscrew 29 which screws into the outer end of said main-body 10. A washer 30 is interposed between the head 31 of said clampscrew and said stylus-block. The styluspointsetting 18 is inserted in said stylusblock so as to project its stylus point 19 downwardly therefrom. Said stylus-point 19 may then be adjusted to proper vertical or perpendicular relation to the sound-record disk by turning said stylus-block and clamping the same in the desired position by means of the clamp-screw, thus correctly positioning the stylus-point regardless of any angular disposition of the butt-piece or shank 11.

Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawings, there is shown therein another modified construction of my adapter stylus, the same comprising a horizontal main-body 32 from one end of which extends outwardly and at right angles thereto an integrally formed butt-piece or shank 33. The forward end of said main-body 32 is provided with a reduced portion 34 in which is formed a vertically disposed opening 35 for the reception of the tail-piece 36 of astylus-point setting 37 in which the stylus-point 38 is fixed. This arrangement provides a very cheap and simple construction of adapter stylus which embodies all the essential principles of my invention.

Referring now to Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated therein still another modified form of my novel adapter stylus. In this form I provide a horizontal main-body 39 from one end' of which extends upwardly at right angles thereto a rigidly secured butt-piece or shank 40. Extending outwardly from the outer end of said main-body 39 is a reduced portion 41 provided with a vertical opening 42 in which is secured the tail-piece 43 of a stylus-point setting 41 having the styluspoint 45 aflixed therein. The, end of said tail-piece 43 projects above the upper sur- 'face of said reduced portion 411and is flanged or beaded as at 46. Also extending outwardly from the outer end of said mainbody 39 is another reduced-portion 47 which is spaced above and away from said first mentioned reduced-portion 41. In said reduced-portion 47 is adjustably arranged an the vibratory eflects of the stylus-point through lost motion and consequently a louder tone production at the diaphragm of the sound-box. If, however, the adj usterscrew 48 is loosened a consequent reduction of the force of the vibrations results, through lost motion in the mounting of the styluspoint setting, and consequently there is reduction of the force of the vibratory effects transmitted to the diaphragm of the soundbox and consequently a reduction of tone volume or loudness.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the various arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, without departing from the scope of my present invention. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the .exact arrangements and combinations of the said parts as described in the foregoing specification, nor

do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts as shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

I claim 1. An adapter stylus for phonograph sound-boxes having their diaphragms in planes substantially perpendicular to the sound-record disks to be reproduced comprising a horizontal body, a vertical buttpiece extending upwardly from one end of said body, a sty1us-head having a laterally planes substantially perpendicular to the sound-record disks to be reproduced comprising a horizontal body, a vertical buttpiece extending upwardly from one end of said body, a stylus-head having a laterally extending shank, said body having a-longitudinally extending opening extending inwardly from its outer end for the reception of said shank, a' plastic cementitious material having some resiliency filling said opening and surrounding said shank whereby the latter is secured in said body, a vertically disposed stylus-setting supported by said stylus-head, and a downwardly depending vertical stylus-point carried by said setting.

3. An adapter stylus for phonograph sound-boxes having their diaphragms in planes substantially perpendicular to the sound-record disks to' be reproduced comprising a horizontal body, a vertical buttpiece extending upwardly from one end of said body, a vertical stylus-point extending downwardly from the opposite end of said body, and means permitting adjustment of said butt-piece relatively to the stylus-point as and for the purposes described.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I hate hereunto set my hand this 27th day of February, 1915.

ELLIS S. OLIVER.

' Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, -FREDK H. W. FRAENTZEL. 

